Apple sweet
by Annabel Jones
Summary: The epilogue of Katniss and Peeta's life. 'Katniss had been shot, she had been burned alive and she had even broke her heel, but nothing she had experienced was like the pain she felt at the moment. She was lying on the bed, gasping for breath and drenched with sweat, the covers clinging to her moist skin.'
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Katniss had been shot, she had been burned alive and she had even broke her heel, but nothing she had experienced was like the pain she felt at the moment. She was lying on the bed, gasping for breath and drenched with sweat, the covers clinging to her moist skin. Peeta sat on a chair near the bed, pressing a wet cloth on Katniss's burning forehead. He murmured soothing words to Katniss as she gripped the sheets tighter, her knuckles white. Katniss screamed as her stomach erupted and Peeta clenched his fista as if he were the one suffering.

It was near thre o'clock in the morning and the moonlight gently bathed Katniss in it's soothing rays, making her grey eyes stand out.

'She looks like a ghost,'Peeta thought.'A beautiful ghost in excrutiating pain.' He winced as Katniss screamed again, only louder.

Peeta sighted in relief as someone tapped on the door lightly. A bent shadow walked ovet to the bed, carring what looked like a bag. Sae Boui-boui.

'Finally you're here,' said Peeta.'What took you so long ?'

'Oh well, boy, don't expect me to wake up right away !' Sae replied, opening her bag.'I'm an old woman !'

She had thrown on a robe on top of her pajamas and was still wearing slippers.

'Hurry up, please !' implored Peeta.'She looks in so much pain !'

The old woman studied Katniss for a moment (she was panting, her face sweaty and pale) before returning her gaze to Peeta.

'Anyways it doesn't matter now if I came a minute later or sooner,' she said, shaking her head.

'What do you mean ?'

when she spoke her voice was sad and strained, the voice of a person who had lived for a very long time and has seen all their friends die.

'I mean that whatever I'll do to help her... Katniss'll die.'


	2. Chapter 2

_**Foreword ( i know its the second chapter but i forgot to do it on the first)- I did change a few things from the original story, so please don't go at me saying : 'You're soooo wrong !' Thanks for not doing it. Also I want to mention**_ Lullaby baby rock a by bye **, _who really supported me in writing. Thnx ! P.S :You should really check out her stories, they're so much better than mine !_**

Chapter 2

 _When she spoke, her voice was sad and strained, the voice of a person who had lived for a very long time and seen all their loved ones die._

 _'I mean that whatever I'll do to help her...Katniss'll die.'_

Peeta froze. He felt his heart crash out of his chest and onto the floor. He felt as if the world had turned upside down and dropped on the ground at his feet. It couldn't be. Not Katniss. She was The Surviver, she would survive anything. Despair rose and filled him with it's cold numbness.

'What-how...Why ?' he whispered. 'She can't die. It's my fault ! She can't, she can't and she will not die !'

Katniss, still shaking on the bed, seemed to have heard Sae Boui-boui. She half rosed and said, outrage more than anything showing in her voice :

'No way !' she shook her head. 'I am _not_ dying now ! Not after everything I've been through.'

She slumped back on the pillows clearly exausted.

Peeta looked directly into Sae's wrinkled eyes. 'You have to do everything in your power to keep Katniss alive. Do you understand ?'

'Come on, guys. Have you ever heard of a joke ?' Sae snorted.

She looked at them as if expecting them to laugh or smile. Only silence dared respond her.'Katniss is not going to die. I was just trying to ease you off, with you know a joke.'

Peeta had exhaled a breath he hadn't realised he was holding. He now stood furiously and looked at Sae. The expression if looks could kill, crossed her mind.

'Well, and I who thought it was funny..' she started.

'Not funny !' Peeta and Katniss yelled together. Then Katniss yelped, her hands going to her stomach.

Sae immediately began working around her, boiling water, pressing wet cloth on Katniss's forehead and massaging her back. Peeta stood in a corner of the room, rather awkwardly as he didn't know what to do. After a few moments, Sae announced : 'Okay, now its starting. Katniss you will have to push hard.'

Peeta walked to the bed and took Katniss's hand, it was hot and sweaty. Katniss did as she was asked to do and screamed all the way through. She pushed and pushed and pushed just like all the time she had pushed people away. She pushed as if it was for her dear life. And then, it was over. Just as fast as it had started. A new wail tore the air. Sae Boui-boui took the little creature away from Katniss and came back a few seconds later. She deposited the creature on Katniss's chest and muttered :

'Quick labor and fast delivery. The baby's healthy and big.'

Katniss started with huge eyes at the baby on her chest. Not the baby, _her baby._

She had never liked the thing that had grown inside her, disturbing her habits and making a mess of her. But now, all her dislike melted away replaced with a huge warm bubble of love. She loved it, her baby, her little piece of her. Peeta looked at his wife with adoration. He had never thought he could like Katniss more than he did, but now he loved her ten times more than he had seconds before. And now she sat on the bed, hair a mess and she looked like a zombie, but to Peeta, she was as beautiful as a goddess. He smoothed her hair down and asked :

'Is it a girl or a boy ?'

Sae smiled at the new parents before replying : 'It's a girl, all right.'

Katniss felt her insides melt. Her baby, a girl. A very cute baby girl.

' What's her name ?' Sae inquired as she leaned in to squint at the newborn.

' Emma or Wendy,' Peeta immediately said.

'No,' Katniss shook her head. ' I want her to have the sweetest name on Earth. So sweet she'll be the sweetest and the nicest.' She looked around the room and her gaze settled on an object on the table. A little red, round thing the size of a fist. An apple.

'Apple. Her name is Apple.'

 _ **There you go. I know its not much but I bet you didn't expect it. Did you ? If you want to have more stories about Apple, review please and I'll write more.**_ Lullaby rock a by bye ** _, I hope you liked it because it's dedicated to you ( just as you dedicated your last chapter of_** My little sister joy of my life _**to me). Thank you.**_


	3. Chapter 3

_**I'm back ! So sorry I didn't write sooner I've got tons of work plus I try to update my major fiction more often (it's called Unexpected, BTW). So hopefully you'll enjoy this chapter. It was requested by a few people -very few- but requested nonetheless. Thanks to**_ Lullaby baby rock a by bye _ **, my greatest and best supporter !**_

Chapter 3

Announcing

the birth

of

Apple Primrose Mellark

Born : 11th May

Weight : 7.4 pounds

Mrs. Everdeen looked at the card in her hand. she had gotten it from Sae. She was sitting in her kitchen, drinking a cup of coffee, the sunlight falling on the table. When she had received the news she had been delighted, she was a grandma ! Now, she felt a pinch in her chest, where her heart was. Outside a bird chirped, she frowned. She shouldn't be feeling like this. She should be happy. So why did she feel so bad ? She rose to her feet, carrying her mug to the sink. And froze. She gasped, _no_. It couldn't be ! Tears blurred her sight and rolled down her cheeks. She slowly sank to the ground, holding herself with her arms. _No !_ She shouldn't. Not remember ! _Please !_ She wanted the memories to leave her, to make her forget but she would never. She choked on her grief, so strong she felt she was drowning. She remembered. She remembered two thick blond braids. She remembered clear blue eyes and most of all she remembered an explosion that killed _her_. Killed her child. Took her away from her. Took Prim away. Mrs. Everdeen shook, tears streaming down her face as she realised the connection. The horrible truth. 11th May. The day Primrose got killed.

. . .

Katniss screamed and bolted awake. She could still see the horrible images in her mind. The Hunger Games, Finnick dying trying to save her, a hospital destroyed and a little girl with blonde hair and blue eyes in an explosion... Peeta who had awaken took her in his arms.

''It's all right, love,'' he murmured. ''Everything's all right.''

Out of nowhere the tears came. She didn't understand what made her so sad and why she kept on thinking it was somehow connected to Prim. Prim, Prim, Prim. Her little sister. She choked and gasped as the pain came crashing back in.

Peeta's eyes widened. He didn't understand why Katniss was so sad.

''What's wrong ? Please tell me,'' he asked her, rubbing her back slowly.

She gulped, tears streaming down her face.''May 11th -'' She choked.

''What May 11th ?'' Peeta was worried now.''It was yesterday. The day Apple was born.''

''It was the day they killed her...'' Katniss whispered slowly.

Peeta froze completely shocked. Of course ! He should have thought about it. He felt a deep ache for the sister he never had.

''She would have liked it being an aunt. Remember how she liked to take care of children ?'' he whispered back to her. Katniss nodded, the tears had stopped falling now.

''She told me once that if I ever had children, I'd better name them after her,'' she said. She remembered everything. The happy things and the sad ones and for some reason she was happy. She knew, she felt that Prim was here somewhere as happy as she was.

But still doubt flickered in her.

''I can't believe I agreed to this,'' she said not meeting Peeta's eyes.

''What ?''

''I will never be a good mother !'' she cried again. How did she think it could work for even one second ?

''What are you talking about ?'' Peeta looked really confused.

''You know I'll never be one. A good mother.'' she hugged her sides. It felt weird not feeling the huge bump where her stomach was.

''You can't be saying that. Why do think you can't be a great mother ?'' Peeta took her chin in his hand.

''Everyday, I wake up with nightmares. One day she'll ask and I don't think I can live knowing that my daughter knows that I'm a-I'm a killer..''

Peeta kissed her lips slowly.''Hey. We're all killers somehow. You just happened to do something that probably mad our life a lot better than it was gonna be. And 'everyone is a little broken inside, that's how the light gets in'. Our daughter is going to learn that no one has a perfect story. But everyone can move on and make their future a happily ever after.''

Katniss stared at him. She couldn't believe that she had one day disliked him. She put her arms around his neck and leaned against his chest. He quickly put his arms around her and started kissing her. The kiss grew intense pretty quickly and deepened...

They were a tangle of arms, legs and bodies. Peeta pressed himslef against Katniss. It had been months since they had sex together and now, he felt like exhaling a breath he didn't realise he was holding. They were so engrossed they didn't realise that the sun was rising until a wail interrupted them.

''Oh no,'' Katniss groaned.''Seriously ? That baby's more on time than an alarm o'clock.''

Peeta chuckled.''You better get going then.'' He watched as she dressed up quickly and she bolted out of the room. Sure he loved his baby but seriously, couldn't have Apple waited an hour or two later to wake up ?

. . .


	4. Chapter 4 - Epilogue

**Hey ! This is the last of Apple sweet because I'm gonna focus on Unexpected, now. If you happen to really, really like this story and you make a request to have another chapter of Apple's life, I'll do it for you. But otherwise I won't really write anymore. So this is the epilogue.**

 **Thanks for sticking up with me,**

 **Annabel xox**

Epilogue

Katniss smiled as she sat in the grass, with baby Apple asleep in a blanket, looking peaceful. She was surrounded by flowers and butterflies, and one of them landed on Apple's face. Katniss looked lovingly at her daughter and knew that she wasn't going to be perfect. But perfect is dull. She knew that one day, her daughter will learn of her role in the Hunger Games, that Apple will learn that her mother is a 'hero' but that won't change things for her. And on top of all, she knew that this wasn't a happily ever after. It was so much more than that.


End file.
